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Black Law Alumni Association

Building Community

The George Washington University Black Law Alumni Association (BLAA) was established in 1988. Its mission is to support the Law School's efforts in recruiting minority students and faculty, and promote diversity within the Law School. The BLAA sponsors alumni and student networking opportunities for minorities, and provides year-long academic and mentoring support for the GW chapter of the Black Law Student Association. The BLAA encourages graduating students to become active members of the GW alumni community in order to maintain active participation and support for GW Law, and to voice the BLAA's views on policies affecting the Law School.

BLAA is committed to raising awareness of the Jeanette Michael Scholarship Fund. The fund establishes an endowment to support scholarships providing financial assistance to qualified African-American Juris Doctor degree candidates enrolled at the Law School. To learn more about the fund and donate, click here.

Orientation

Since 1988, the BLAA has conducted an orientation program specially designed for entering African American first year law students. The program is an intensive study skills training program that is held before the first week of school, generally the weekend before school begins. The Law School provides continental breakfast and lunch.

The orientation program is generally the students' first contact with the law school environment. The program provides useful tips and gives students a unique opportunity to begin fostering relationships with alumni that continue throughout the students' law school and professional careers. The BLAA forwards invitations to the orientation program to newly admitted students who have provided notice to GW Law of their intention to matriculate. Members of the BLAA also make telephone calls to all admitted students to encourage them to attend the orientation. This initial phone call also gives alumni an opportunity to answer any questions incoming students may have about GW Law or life in the metropolitan Washington, DC area.

Some of the topics covered during the orientation include matters such as

How to read and brief a case

Ethical considerations

How to effectively use study groups

Introduction to legal writing

Introduction to first year courses

Explanations of what law professors generally expect

At the end of the program the officers of BLSA talk to the first year students about student life at the Law School. GW Law professors and members of the BLAA, including law firm partners, judges, in-house counsel, corporate executives and law firm senior associates serve as presenters during the program.

Every year students and alumni are invited to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Monica Monroe via e-mail at: mmonroe@law.gwu.edu.

Mid-Semester Review Session

During the first semester of law school, first year law students often discover that the rigors of law school are much more demanding than that of undergraduate school. With that in mind, in 2001, the BLAA initiated a four-hour mid-semester review session that was geared to help reduce the anxiety created by the first few months of law school study. During the review session, students are encouraged to engage in analytical dialogue about fact patterns and their application to the various laws covered during the first semester of law school. It is the goal of the review session to assist students in gauging how they can improve their studying techniques to better prepare for the end of semester before the exam reading period.

Practice Panel Series

The BLAA believes strongly in giving students the opportunity to explore different career paths. With that goal in mind, BLAA has instituted Practice Panel Series. These series are designed to introduce students to various practice areas.